Card holder



MayQ, 1967 J gngss T ET AL 3,3E33H CARD HOLDER Filed Oct, 6, 1965lNvENT'oRs, v-JoHNTpGREsfiETTE FILLMORE G.WILSON ATTORifiEY UnitedStates Patent 3,318,311 CARD HOLDER John T. Gressette, 402 Shannon Drive29607, and Fillrnore G. Wilson, 522 Cleveland St. 29601, both ofGreenville, S.C.

Filed Oct. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 493,451 2 Claims. (Cl. 129-18) Thisinvention relates to a pocket-type card holder, and is directedparticularly to a card holder in which the cards can be readily removed.

It is customary for a person to carry many credit cards, licenses,photographs, and similar identification papers on him at all times.These cards and papers when carried in a wallet add considerable size tothe wallet, as well as making it difiicult to locate the needed card.Heretofore, wallets have been provided with transparent folding insertsfor accommodating the cards. However, as previously mentioned, they addconsiderable size to the wallet and it is sometimes difficult to insertand remove the cards from the inserts. Moreover, the series of insertsmust be refolded each time a card is used. When the cards are looselyplaced in a single compartment of the wallet, it is troublesome tolocate the desired card.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide asimple, attractive, and inexpensive card holder for accommodating creditcards and the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a card holderthat can be carried in the pocket and the cards can be readily removedand replaced in the holder.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide asubstantially flat compact card holder constructed to hold variouscards, photographs, or the like, in an orderly and compact arrangementwhile permitting ready removal and return of any individual card.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a holderfor cards which permits the cards to be pivoted from the holder foraiding in locating any individual card.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawingforming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a card holder constructed inaccordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a card which can be accommodated by the cardholder of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is aperspective view illustrating a different type card holder,but constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal elevational view of the card holderillustrated in FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal elevational view of the card holderillustrated in FIGURE 3 with cards carried thereby, and

FIGURE 6 is a reduced perspective view illustrating a different typecard holder, but constructed in accordance with the present invention.

The drawing illustrates a holder for cards including a base supportmember. A vertically spaced upper support member is disposed above andin alignment with the base support member. A vertical post A extendsbetween the support members. Each of the cards B has an aperture Ctherein of predetermined size adjacent but spaced from a marginalportion thereof. A slot D having ICC a transverse dimension less than atransverse dimension of said aperture joins the aperture and extends tothe adjacent margin of each of the cards. The post A has across-sectional dimension in one direction SlllTlClGIlll to fit throughthe slot and a length dimension in another direction larger than saidslot but receivable in the aperture. The post A is accessible foraccommodating a card. When the post is slipped through the slot D of thecard into the aperture C the card can be turned about the post to aposition placing the cross-sectional dimension of the post in adirection opposite the transverse dimension of the slot. Thus, aplurality of cards may be placed individually or as a group upon theholder and turned to a position where such cards are confined on thepost but removable therefrom individually or as a group by turning sameto a position wherein the post may be received within the slot.

FIGURE 1 of the drawing illustrates a card holder constructed inaccordance with the present invention. The holder comprises arectangular base support member 10 having a vertical rear wall 11connected to one side. A vertically spaced upper support member 12 isdisposed above and in alignment with the base support member 10. Theupper support member 12 is attached to the free-edge of the rear wall 11forming a channel shaped structure. The entire channel shaped structurecan be formed of a single piece of material, such as metal or plastic.

A Vertical post A extends between the base support member 10 and theupper support member 12. The post A is substantially prolate shaped andhas a crosssectional dimension which is smaller than the lengthdimension. The post A is attached to the base support member 10 and theupper support member 12 by welding or any other suitable means. In theembodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1, the length dimension of the post Ais perpendicular to the rear Wall 11. Cards B, which are to be placed inthe holder, are provided with an aperture C and a slot D joining theaperture and extending to the adjacent margin of the card. The apertureC is spaced from a marginal edge of the card and is of sufficient sizeto accommodate the vertical post A. The slot D has a transversedimension which is less than the transverse dimension of the apertureand the length dimension of the post A, but is greater than thecrosssectional dimension of the post A. While the post is shown asprolate or rectangular shaped, it is to be noted that an ellipticalshaped post could be used.

The post A is spaced away from the rear wall 11 of the channel shapedmember for accommodating a card. In order to insert a card in theholder, the slot in the card is positioned adjacent to the post A sothat length dimension of the post A is parallel to the slot A. Such aposition of the card B is illustrated in broken lines in FIGURE 1. Thepost A is slipped through the slot D into the aperture C of the card.The card is rotated degrees to confine the credit card on the post. Whenit is desired to remove a particular card, the card is turned back andsimply slipped off the post A. It is noted that in trying to locate aparticular card in a stack carried by the holder, the cards can beturned about the post A.

The holder is provided with a cover 14 to protect the cards. The cover14 has a bottom portion 15 which is attached to the underside of thebase support member 11) by brads or any other suitable means. Verticalside portions 16 and 17 are integral with opposite sides of the bottomportion 14. The vertical side portion 16 terminates in an inner flap 18which folds over the upper support member 12. The vertical side portion17 terminates in an outer flap 19 which folds over the inner flap 18 toenclose the holder. The inner flap 18 has a male portion 20 of a snapwhich cooperates with a female portion 21 of a snap carried on the outerflap 19 to hold the flaps adjacent the upper support member 12.

Credit cards and papers of any type may be accommodated by the cardholder as long as they have an aperture and connecting slot punchedadjacent one edge. The aperture and slot should be punched close enoughto one corner of the card to permit the card to be turned on the postwithout striking the rear wall 11 of the channel.

While the construction shown and described in FIG- URES 1 and 2 of thedrawing is preferred, the invention may be embodied in numerous otherforms and types of assemblies as exemplified by FIGURES 3 through 5. As

illustrated in FIGURE 3, the holder is constructed of U-shaped member 22having an upper support portion 23 and a base support portion 24. Themember 22 in the preferred embodiment is constructed of metal and theupper support portion 23 is resiliently biased downward toward the basesupport portion 24. A vertical post A is integral with the base supportportion 24 and extends through an aperture 25 in the upper supportportion 23. The aperture 25 permits the upper support portion 23to rideup and down on the post A as the cards are removed and reinserted. Thepost A has a horizontal stop member 26 attached to its top which islarger than the structure 25 in the upper support portion 23. The stopmember 26 locks the upper support member about the post A. Cards B, suchas the one illustrated in FIGURE 2, are inserted on the post A betweenthe upper support member 23 and the base support 24. The resiliency ofthe upper support member 23 maintains the cards in a compact stack. Theupper support member 23 has a raised tapering member 27 attached to itsupper surface. The member 27 tapers upwardly from the end of the uppersupport member 23 which joins the lower support member to the free-end.The tapering member 27 has a slot 28 therein for accommodating the postA and stopmember 26. The tapering member 27 encloses the post A and stopmember 26 providing a fiat surface so that such will not catch on apocket lining or the like when carried therein. The cards are insertedon the post A of the device, illustrated in FIGURES 3 through in thesame manner .as described with reference to the structure of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 illustrates another modified form of the invention. The post Ain the device illustrated in FIGURE 6 is arcuately shaped. The card Bhas an arcuately shaped slot 29 adjacent one side. The slot 29 in thecard is the substantial complement of the post. However, it is slightlylarger so that the post Acan acommodate .it. The post A is disposedwithin a U-shaped structure comprising an upper'support member 30 andbeen described using specific terms, such description is forillustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes andvariations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A holder for cards including: a base supportmember; a vertically spaced upper support member in alignment with saidbase support member; said support members forming legs of asubstantially U-shaped bracket resiliently biased toward one another; avertical post fixed to one of said legs and extending toward said otherleg; means associated with said post for limiting the movement of one ofsaid legs away from the other; said means including an opening in saidother leg receiving the post and an abutment on the free end of saidpost for limiting the movement of said other leg away from said one leg,means positioned on said other leg defining an opening for receiving theabutment for protectively encompassing the same; said cards each havingan aperture therein of predetermined size adjacent but spaced from amarginal portion thereof, and a slot having a transverse dimension lessthan a transverse dimension of said aperture joining said aperture andextending to the adjacent margin of each of said cards; said post havingone dimension sufiicient to pass through the slot and a second dimensionlarger than said slot but receivable in said aperture; said post beingaccessible for accommodating a card when the post is passed through theslot and when the post is received within the aperture permittingturning of the card when the post is reecived within the aperture to aposition placing said one dimension of said post in another directionopposite the trans verse dimension of the slot, whereby a plurality ofcards may be placed individually or as a group upon the holder andturned to a position where suchcards are confined on the post butremovable therefrom individually or as a group by turning same to aposition wherein the post may be received within the slot.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein the last recited means comprises atotally aligned tapered member secured to said other leg with itsthickest dimension adjacent the abutment for encompassing the same inany position of said other leg with respect to said one leg.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,500,612 7/1924Gilkey 129-5 1,528,040 3/1935 Wood 12918 X 2,145,002 1/1939 Wolford12918 2,399,376 4/1946 OHara 12918 FOREIGN PATENTS 354,013 5/ 1922Germany. 1,135,293 8/1962 Germany.

2,349 1898 Great Britain. 335,777 10/ 1930 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

1. A HOLDER FOR CARDS INCLUDING: A BASE SUPPORT MEMBER; A VERTICALLYSPACED UPPER SUPPORT MEMBER IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID BASE SUPPORT MEMBER;SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS FORMING LEGS OF A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED BRACKETRESILIENTLY BIASED TOWARD ONE ANOTHER; A VERTICAL POST FIXED TO ONE OFSAID LEGS AND EXTENDING TOWARD SAID OTHER LEG; MEANS ASSOCIATED WITHSAID POST FOR LIMITING THE MOVEMENT OF ONE OF SAID LEGS AWAY FROM THEOTHER; SAID MEANS INCLUDING AN OPENING IN SAID OTHER LEG RECEIVING THEPOST AND AN ABUTMENT ON THE FREE END OF SAID POST FOR LIMITING THEMOVEMENT OF SAID OTHER LEG AWAY FROM SAID ONE LEG, MEANS POSITIONED ONSAID OTHER LEG DEFINING AN OPENING FOR RECEIVING THE ABUTMENT FORPROTECTIVELY ENCOMPASSING THE SAME; SAID CARDS EACH HAVING AN APERTURETHEREIN OF PREDETERMINED SIZE ADJACENT BUT SPACED FROM A MARGINALPORTION THEREOF, AND A SLOT HAVING A TRANSVERSE DIMENSION LESS THAN ATRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF SAID APERTURE JOINING SAID APERTURE ANDEXTENDING TO THE ADJACENT MARGIN OF EACH OF SAID CARDS; SAID POST HAVINGONE DIMENSION SUFFICIENT TO PASS THROUGH THE SLOT AND A SECOND DIMENSIONLARGER THAN SAID SLOT BUT RECEIVABLE IN SAID APERTURE; SAID POST BEINGACCESSIBLE FOR ACCOMMODATING A CARD WHEN THE POST IS PASSED THROUGH THESLOT AND WHEN THE POST IS RECEIVED WITHIN THE APERTURE PERMITTINGTURNING OF THE CARD WHEN THE POST IS RECEIVED WITHIN THE APERTURE TO APOSITION PLACING SAID ONE DIMENSION OF SAID POST IN ANOTHER DIRECTIONOPPOSITE THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF THE SLOT, WHEREBY A PLURALITY OFCARDS MAY BE PLACED INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A GROUP UPON THE HOLDER ANDTURNED TO A POSITION WHERE SUCH CARDS ARE CONFINED ON THE POST BUTREMOVABLE THEREFROM INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A GROUP BY TURNING SAME TO APOSITION WHEREIN THE POST MAY BE RECEIVED WITHIN THE SLOT.